Leo looked to his right.

Donatello had his bō clutched tightly in his hands. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, expelling any lingering feelings of nervousness or apprehension. He caught his older brother's stare and met it with one of his own. A rash of longing swept over him and he suddenly felt the inexplicable need to say something, anything to break the stygian atmosphere that hung over their heads. His mouth opened then closed again as Leo turned away.

Leo looked to his left. Michelangelo had his nunchaku tucked under his arms, tapping against the kontoh with his fingers, the way he always did when he was nervous. But in his face there wasn't the slightest trace of doubt or uncertainty. Leo nudged him gently with an elbow.

"How you doing, Mikey?"

Mikey straightened and his eyes went white. "Ready as I'll ever be."

The elder sibling frowned. "That's not what I asked."

"Might as well have been." The youngest retorted, sounding oddly like a certain hothead Leo knew. He put a hand on Michelangelo's shoulder and said in a very forthright manner.

"Just stay close to me and Donnie if you're scared, little brother."

Michelangelo growled. Leo's hand recoiled in shock and wariness. The fingers around the monouchi of the nunchaku tightened so much that Leo began to wonder whether they might actually crack. "I'm not scared of the fight."

A quick glance at Donnie told Leo that he wasn't the only one that had noted the diction of the phrase. Standing closer than before, Don gently tried to throw his arms around their little brother, but Mikey stopped him cold. Both the older siblings could feel worry bubbling in their gut, neither of them knowing how to proceed. This wasn't a side of Mikey that they usually interacted with. Whenever Mikey was in one of his little funks, which he did have, occasionally, Raphael was the only one who could reason with him.

Donnie's shoulders fell, but he knew he couldn't stay quiet any longer. He had no idea what was about to happen, but whatever it was, he just had to say—

"I love you, bros."

Fuzzy warmth spread through Leo's body. He smiled.

Both he and Donnie were suddenly yanked down into a furious embrace. Mikey was fiercely squashing them against his plastron. Leo smiled and reciprocated, one hand briefly pausing to rub the top of Mikey's head affectionately.

"I love you guys. I'm scared of what could happen. After last time, with Raph—Just promise me you'll be okay!" the youngest whined, forlornly.

His heart sinking, Leo knew he couldn't oblige.

Michelangelo understood. But that didn't mean that he had to like it. He didn't like it. Not at all. For what little consolation it provided, he knew that his brothers didn't either. "I won't let her hurt you guys."

Leo's arms tightened around them, the words sparking his determination. "No. She won't."

Donnie's brilliant mind urged him to point out the near impossibility of that, but he shut down that line of thought almost as soon as it began. For now he just melted into the hug and closed his eyes. None of them were particularly interested in pulling away. Mikey's snicker finally made them step back and stare curiously at him. Mikey was smirking.

"Can you imagine how hard we'd have to fight to get Raph to hold a hug that long?"

They mirrored their brother's smirk. Leo crossed his arms over his plastron. "We wouldn't be able to. Three to one or not, he'd find a way out."

"We should try it out sometime and catalogue his responses. The tactics might actually prove useful in close combat." Leo and Mikey chuckled. Don grinned, but was a little confused. "I was serious."

"We know, Don." Leo said, patting the purple-masked turtle's shoulder encouragingly. For a few more moments they smiled, happy just to be together. All at once, the silence and surroundings settled in once again and their heads rose to the manhole cover above. Leo looked at his brothers. They looked at him. He nodded. They turned back to the ladder, Leo stepping forward. Their eyes went white.

——————————

A few minor changes had been made to the plan. Slash and Leo had teamed Rockwell with Mona, yet had also teamed him with Slash and Leatherhead in the first line of combat. Psychic though he might be, even Rockwell couldn't be in two places at once. As a result, they had ended up pairing Mona Lisa with Raphael. Leonardo had even remarked that he was much happier with that arrangement because Mona wouldn't be in quite so much danger.

The two of them traveled through the sewers in silence. Raphael led the way, mechanically navigating the twists and turns while Mona Lisa followed wordlessly behind him. She had no doubt that Raphael knew exactly where they were going and exactly how to get there. He knew every twist, turn and tunnel down here. He knew them twice as well as he knew the streets above, due living within them for so long.

Mona didn't know much about the sewer, but she knew a lot about her companion. As a result, she knew something else: Raphael was upset. He was also going out of his way to conceal it. The stiff, jerky movements of the red-masked turtle showed that his mind was somewhere far away from her side. It was beginning to grate upon her nerves. Finally she stepped forward and snagged him by the shoulder with all the grace of a kunoichi. He glared at her in confusion.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Let's keep—"

She circumnavigated the mutant turtle and barred off his passage with her arm, her hand smacking the wall of the pipe with a dull thunk. He growled.

"What's wrong?" she repeated, insistently.

"Nothing." Reiterated her companion, stubbornly. He leaned to one side and then the other, but each time found that there was a lizard mutant blocking his way.

"Why won't you tell me?"

"Why should I tell you?" Raph roared. She smirked. It wasn't until his breath slowed a little that he realized his mistake. Damn. His palm slapped dramatically against his face and he sighed. By not denying the fact he had just conceded that there was something wrong. Damn.

Seeing that this was quickly getting her nowhere, Mona changed tactics. "Think the others are in position?"

He scowled and finally, she allowed him to pass. "Not yet, but they will be soon and we should be, too." Raphael snapped pointedly.

Mona jogged a few paces to catch up with him, frowning thoughtfully. Raph just hadn't been the same since...It's just...There were moments where he was, but every time he would withdraw or snap at her. She didn't like it. She just wanted things to be like before. She missed Raphael. Not only his affection but his friendship. Her thoughts halted abruptly as Raph came to a stop. She carefully scrutinized his face. Unfortunately he noticed.

"What are you staring at?"

"You." She responded easily, her voice ringing with honesty. A quirky grin curled her lips as a hint of redness gathered in his cheeks.

"Why?"

"Why not?"

"Are you finished?" He asked, gruffly. Her facial expression bent into a frown.

Mona spoke softly. "What's wrong?"

"I told you nothing's wrong! Why do you keep asking me that?!" He said, raising his voice and straightening, imposingly. Her own temper flared and she matched him stance for stance. They were practically nose to nose, arguing loudly, spewing words that truly amounted to very little. It was not so much an argument as a very loud and emphatic conversation. But for Mona and Raph, it was one of their more dramatic confrontations since they'd split apart.

"You're always so stubborn, so determined to do things on your own! Why can't you let me help you?"

"I'm determined to do things on my own?! What about you? You've been pushing me away for weeks!"

"I can handle myself, you're changing the subject!"

"I'm not changing the subject, I'm making a point!"

"Will you stop evading the issue and just tell me what's wrong?!"

"Nothing is wrong! You want to talk about something being wrong then let's talk about you! You've been quiet almost the entire way until now, why now? Maybe you're the one who needs to talk!"

"What's wrong?"

"We're wasting time let's go!" He said motioning her to go ahead. She didn't budge.

"What's wrong?"

"Will you just move?!" Raph said with extreme annoyance.

"What's wrong?" Mona yelled again. He was close to cracking. So very, very close.

"Don't you realize that if we aren't in position when the others move in—"

"WHAT'S WRONG?!" The lizard mutant had no idea she could be so loud. At first she was uncertain whether the shout had even come from her own mouth. It seemed that the final burst of volume had pushed Raphael over the edge.

"I'M SUPPOSED TO BE YOUR GUARDIAN!"

Mona Lisa's mouth closed, her eyes dulled sadly and she put a hand on his shoulder. "You still are."

Raphael allowed his posture to sag. "No. I can't be. Not anymore."

His whisper was so soft that Mona had almost missed it, but her eyebrows rose and she felt slightly stunned by his words. She stepped closer to him and brought her other hand up to his face. "What do you mean? Of course you are."

"No." He shook his head. "As your guardian I'm supposed to protect you." He averted his eyes. "I can't do that if you won't let me."

She also looked away. This was sensitive ground for her. She tried to make him understand. "I can protect myself now. I don't need you to do it for me."

Suddenly his hand shot out and caught the lime-green wrist that was closest to his face. She started a little, startled by the strength of his grip. Their eyes met. Mona felt as though he was sucking her inside of his very soul.

"I'm not trying to do it for you. I want to do it with you. The same way I protect my brothers. But it's different with you. It's always been different with you. Guardian, protector, those aren't the best words to describe it. With you...I wanted to be your—your champion, someone who would stand by your side and support you, someone who will stick with you no matter what."

Mona's eyes widened. Raph really wasn't—all this time she'd just believed that he was trying to shield her and question her because he doubted her capabilities. Perhaps he had at first but upon looking back she realized that despite his doubt he hadn't ever tried to put a stop to her growth or to her training. In fact he'd been both pleased and unpleased about it. So maybe all those times they'd lashed out at each other were out of concern. He was worried she'd been driving herself too hard, and every time he tried to get her to slow down, she immediately assumed he was trying to stop her. Miscommunication and misdirection. On both their parts.

She wrapped an arm around his neck and hugged him gently for a few moments. His arms never rose from his sides and his body stiffened. And Mona Lisa realized, only then, how much her rejection had hurt him. She pulled away.

"Raphael, I—"

He inclined his head, indicating a manhole cover further down the tunnel. "There it is."

As Raph stepped past her, Mona's hand shot out and grabbed his shoulder. It couldn't end like this. She couldn't let it end like this.

Raph turned slightly towards her, impassively, keeping his eyes closed. He feels her cold hands gently cup his face. Mona has pressed herself in close to him. Reflexively, his hands settle upon her hips. The position is strange. There is still a small measure of space between them. It feels cold and different, but Mona doesn't allow that to deter her. Mona's face moves forward, closing the short distance between their lips.

But then, as if in slow motion, the turtle mutant turned his head, silently and stoically rejecting the attempted embrace. Mona Lisa immediately stepped back in sad acceptance. He, too, pulled away. Only then did he open his eyes. He stood with his carapace to her.

She reached out, but her hand fell away and she faltered. She shuffled forward a few steps. "Raphael, I have to tell you—"

His head, though turned away from her tilted slightly back in her direction as he interrupted, "Let's go." He crossed to the ladder and began to climb.

Mona hung her head and closed her eyes in acknowledgement. Her hand hurriedly brushed a small drop of liquid from her cheek.

————————————

Three turtles vaulted up onto the fire escape and climbed up to the top floor. True to their training, they scarcely made a sound. Mikey crouched upon the rail of the platform behind his two older brothers as they examined the latch on the window.

The latch could only be opened from the inside. Don used his tools to cut a hole that he could reach through and open it the rest of the way. Leo moved neatly over to Donnie's other side to avoid the window as it opened outwards towards him. He waved subtly and sent them a few curt hand-signals. They nodded in understanding. He drew his swords and went in first, pressing himself against the wall by the door. Mikey and Donnie both joined him. A soft flutter of movement made him throw up a fist, signaling his brothers to stay back.

Leonardo could feel the tension that fell over his brothers. They silenced their breathing. There was no light coming from beneath the door, yet Leonardo knew that there was undoubtedly someone inside. For a few moments they remained still. Finally he lowered his hand and motioned:

'She's in there. I'm going in. Their attack could come from any direction. Be vigilant.'

His feet stepped as lightly as they could against the floorboards. He couldn't afford to let his enemies know of his presence. The door handle felt cool within his grasp. This was a trap. He knew it was. Every single one of his senses was screaming as much. Still, Leonardo knew that it was their turf, their playing field. The only major downfall of informing their enemies of the plan, was that, for a while at least, they were pawns in the opposing game. But only until the tables were turned.

In a moment of decision, Leo bent the handle down and pushed the door open as quickly and quietly as he could. It was dark save for one very plain, meager-looking light-bulb and hanging from the center of the ceiling. The light source was suspended directly over a very plain round table with four wooden chairs. Seated in one of them, with her back to the room, was a single, black-clad figure. Short, black hair glinted as Leo crept into the shadowy corners of the room. He knew it was a trap, but he had a hard time restraining himself from leaping at her with his katanas. He felt Michelangelo creeping in behind him while Don stayed on the alert in the next room.

Leo knew that as soon as she felt the air from the open window the trap would be sprung. Mikey wanted to strike before it was, take her out right there and then. Leonardo had half a mind to do the same, but he reached out and put a hand on his little brother's shoulder as soon as he sensed Mikey was about to move forward. Mikey's head turned towards him and Leo could feel the disappointment in his little brother at being denied the chance.

It was at that instant that the figure at the table twitched. She stood and stepped behind the chair pushing it in neatly. Leo could practically hear the smirk in her voice.

"So, you've come. Good to see you again, Blue."

A growl rose up from Leo's chest. "Can't say the same."

"But then you wouldn't, would you. Remember what I told you last time?"

Leo's eyes narrowed and he crept noiseless through the shadows to make certain that she had no definite idea as to where he was. "I'm sure you'll refresh my memory."

"As you wish." She stated, finally turning around.

The eldest turtle's ears caught the sound of a sharp intake of breath, no doubt Michelangelo's, as they saw for the first time, the nasty scar that had formed on her face. It was horrifyingly dark and angrily red, running from just above the eyebrow halfway down the cheek. The eye itself was eerily light, the iris pale and blotched with patches of white. To Leo's dread, she heard the soft sound of shock Mikey had uttered and turned towards the area where the orange-masked turtle was currently concealed wearing a knowing expression. He was prepared to act to protect Michelangelo at all costs, but she turned away before taking any further action. She was searching for something. She was searching for Leo.

"The last time we met I made an oath. I'm pleased to know that you brought them with you. It's going to make this so much more interesting." She grinned as his growl echoed through the room. "You'll be able to watch, just like I said. Each and every one of them, remember?"

Shell, how he wanted nothing more than to slit her throat! Baiting him, inciting him, exactly as she had last time, she was trying to make him slip, but he wouldn't. Not this time. This time he knew what she was capable of. Her words were by no means idle threats. With a deep breath, he stepped calmly into the light.

"I would die before I let you close enough."

She made a noise that was a mix between a scoff and a hiss. Her head leaned heavily to one side and she watched him like a cat studies it's prey. "I think not." She purred.

"Leo, lookout!"

He turned at the sound of his name just in time to see Mikey intercept a blow from Tigerclaw that might have conceivably cracked his skull. Leo grabbed his little brother by the arm and tugged him away from the ferocious feline.

"Out the way we came, go!" He yelled to his brothers. They fell in step beside him. All three of them made it out unscathed. Donnie turned to Leo, his face filled with confusion.

"Why aren't they following us?"

"Because they know we're not running."

Sure enough they reached the rooftop to find Knight and Tigerclaw waiting for them. Tigerclaw could perceive in them a dark anger that radiated off of them. Even the relentlessly cheerful one was subdued and silent. So, it was true. He pointed his sword at them.

"You are good little cubs. I regret that your brother did not die at my hand for I might have made it swift and painless. Your rat master is hardly worthy of such loyalty and devotion. He sends cubs out to do an adult's work."

Mikey's eyes brightened, he had a fist full of shuriken. "Oh yeah? Well these cubs are packing more than just an insane amount of cuteness!" He tossed them at Tigerclaw and the bounty hunter just smiled and held up his hand. A boatload of Footbots jumped up on the roof between them and leapt into action upon his signal. The gleam of Leo's blades matched the gleam in his eyes as he charged the tiger mutant.

Leo and Tigerclaw were soon deadlocked in a shell-raising, nail-biting fencing match. The bounty hunter's off hand reached down to his belt and drew his ice gun, aiming it directly at Leo's plastron.

"Leo!" Donnie shouted, throwing his older brother and himself clear in a fraction of a second. They immediately sprung back into action, jumping apart to avoid another ice blast. As they did so, both of them were respectively whacking or slashing down Footbots. Michelangelo, was doing the best he could to cover his older brother's backs. A Footbot rising up behind Donatello caught his attention and he turned his carapace to the black-clad figure slowly slinking its way through the commotion.

Knight grinned, pleased that her first victim of the night was the same one responsible for her eye. She rose up from behind him with a katana in her hands. Leo and Don shouted their little brother's name in terror as the blade began its descent, Mikey turned, but it was too late for him to move away. It sliced shallowly into his shoulder, but before it could get any further, Knight was flung away, punched by a giant, green fist.

Mikey hear a familiar roar of fury. He opened his eyes. "Leatherhead!" He said, hugging his friend briefly. Slash and Rockwell landed on either side of them and shielded them from Foot.

"Michelangelo." Leatherhead rumbled fondly. He eyed the orange-masked ninja's bleeding shoulder. "You are injured."

"It's not that bad. I can live with it."

Rockwell broke away from the fight briefly and glanced at it. "Doesn't look terribly deep. Might not even need stitches. But if you start to get dizzy or lightheaded tell someone." Then the doctor returned to the battle. Mikey was about to follow suit when—

"M-more freaks?!" Came a high-pitched whine, layered with indignation.

Though the battle was raging there was a second's pause as everyone present became aware of Knight's shock, horror, and fury. Tigerclaw leapt away from Leonardo to stand by her side and the a small sea of Foot surrounded them. The turtles and their allies, formed an arc, holding their weapons at the ready.

Knight finally regained her composure and was getting angrier by the minute. More of them. There were more. "I will destroy you all! Just like I destroyed your brother!"

"I wouldn't be so sure about that." A very familiar voice called through the cool, crisp night air. Raphael emerged from Slash's shadow and once again her composure briefly fell.

"But I—I shot you, you're dead!" She spat contemptuously.

"Left for dead, maybe. But not quite dead." He replied evenly.

With a cry of fury, Knight reached down to her belt and pointed a gun-shaped weapon at his chest. It was different from the last one, and was by no means a stun gun. It had a wider barrel and a darker, sleeker shape. It bore a strong resemblance to the real thing.

Everyone froze. Leo's muscles tensed. If her finger so much as twitched on that trigger, he was ready to fling himself in front of his brother. They'd already lost Raph to her once. He wasn't going to let it happen again. He sensed that their two younger brothers were thinking exactly the same.

"No." A new voice said firmly.

Donnie's eyes didn't miss the way that Raphael's fingers twitched slightly. Mona Lisa emerged and came to stand by Raph's side.

"You." Rouge growled, hungrily, her eyes lit up with sadistic glee as the red-masked turtle shifted nearer the lizard mutant.

"Leave her alone."

Knight smiled, maniacally. "Why should I?"

Raph's eyes darkened gravely. "Because I won't let you kill her."

Still no one moved. The Footbots were awaiting orders from Tigerclaw. The bounty hunter had been instructed not to interfere. And she had said she had a plan of her own which would ensure their destruction. A few minutes ago he hadn't been so sure, but now, as he looked at her crazed face, he realized just how dangerous she was.

"I don't have to worry about that." Knight remarked matter-of-factly.

Her grin was menacing. She raised the gun at Slash this time. She readied the gun with a click and took careful aim, loving the way that they all tensed. Drawing out their anticipation she gently curled her finger on the trigger. There. Her aim was in the perfect spot. She'd shoot right about—

At the last second, her aim shifted and her finger pulled the trigger.

"RAPHAEL!" Mona Lisa yelled, spinning in front of him before anyone else could do so. A small, thin dart sank into the back of her left shoulder.

Raph caught her in his arms, staring with wide and fearful eyes at the dart. The other turtles swarmed them with worried faces. Donnie cleanly pulled the dart from her shoulder. In seconds, she'd gone limp in Raphael's arms. He shoved his brothers aside so that he could glare directly at Knight.

"What did you do to her?!" He yelled, anger, panic and frantic concern clear in his voice.

"Originally that serum was meant for one of you three." Knight said tilting her head, indicating the other turtles. She eyed the limp form of the lizard mutant disdainfully. "Pity. This would have been much more interesting had it struck its intended target. Mark my words, you're all going to die tonight. One way," she gestured to Tigerclaw and the Foot, "or the other." She smiled wickedly at Mona Lisa as the lizard began to stir.

Once she was stable on her feet again, Raph put his hands on her shoulders. "Mona, what did she do to you?" he asked insistently.

To his and his brother's shock, Mona's tail whipped out, knocking them all off their feet. She grabbed Raph by the neck and held her blade to his throat. That was when he saw her eyes. The pupils were unnaturally dilated. The blade against his throat pressed more tightly, drawing a little bit of blood. Raph could hear his brothers  jumping to their feet and gasping in shock at the sight.

"I'd kill you all myself, but I'd get far more pleasure out of seeing you desperately fight to the death with one of your own. And once all of you are gone, who knows? But I doubt she'll be able to live with herself after it's done."

Raph looked up into the eyes that felt so strange and alien, yet so familiar. "Mona Lisa, please! Please fight it! Fight it with everything you've got!" There was a flicker of light there, he could just see it, but it wasn't enough. "Mona Lisa, it's me, Raphael! Please don't do this."

A few more drops of blood trickled down his neck.

Rouge Knight laughed. "She's mine now!" She hissed, triumphantly.

The next thing Raph knew, a veil of purple smoke surrounded them and the pressure against his neck vanished abruptly. Someone grabbed him by the hand and dragged him off. He could hear Leo telling them to retreat, the voice loud, clear, and close. They got down into the alleys. Footbots were chasing after them. Leo pulled an EMP out of his belt and threw it back into the throng of them.

"That will only slow them down. Everyone split up! Rendezvous in the junction, as soon as you can. Make sure none of them follow you!" Everyone nodded and split apart. Raph was still in a slight daze as the whirlwind of events slowly started to sink in. Leo tugged him to the side and into the shadows as more Foot ran past. Seconds later they reached a manhole cover. Leo sent him down first then jumped down himself, closing the lid behind him. The blue-masked turtle tried to take his hand and lead him away, but Raph snapped out of his stupor and recoiled violently.

"Leo, what are we doing?! They've got Mona Lisa! She's still with them! We can't just leave her! We have to—"

"Did you even see what she almost did to you back there?! She's under Rouge's control! We had to run, we had no choice!"

Raph bristled and straightened trying to seem bigger than he was. "Oh we had a choice! We could have found some way to reach her! Some way to talk her out of it! Now she's in the hands of that bitch and I can't—"

"We had no choice! NO choice, Raphael! I wasn't about to let her kill you and I wasn't about to stick around, either. If we'd stayed we would have had to fight her, Raph. And if we hadn't been able to reach her or get her out of Rouge's control...we might have had to hurt her."

The fire that raged within the hothead's eyes suddenly petered out. His face was stoic. "I could have done it, Leo. I could see it in her eyes. She was fighting it. She could hear me, I know she could. You've got to let me get close to her again so I can try to—a"

"No, Raphael." Leo said, softly, his tone filled with regret. "I'm sorry, little brother, but I can't do that. She nearly killed you and until Donnie can figure out what to do about it, we can't risk going close to Mona again."

For some time they walked in silence until they reached the rendezvous point. There was no one else there.

"They're probably still dealing with Footbots." Leo stated with ill-concealed worry. Raphael didn't respond. Leo eyed his brother's carapace sadly. "I'm sorry, Raphael." He pulled his temperamental sibling into a hug. "I know how much Mona Lisa...meant to you. And...I know how hard it is to leave someone you love behind. But I promise you little brother, if Mona's still in there somewhere, we'll get her back."

Dark emerald green arms slowly rose to reciprocate, patting Leo's shell softly. Raph pulled back a little, his left hand moving slightly down and away. All things considered, Leonardo really should have seen it coming. But he didn't. And Fearless's trust was Raph's advantage.

The hothead's left hand dipped down to his belt and pulled out his sai, conking his brother over the head with the butt of the handle. Leo's body slumped and Raph moved him slightly in the shadows where he wouldn't be spotted by unfriendly eyes. Before leaving, Raph paused and glanced back in the direction of the spot where he'd put Leo.

"You have no idea how much she means to me. I won't leave her behind, I can't. And I will get her back...somehow."

He vanished into the shadows of the sewers, without looking back.

———————————

How was it?